I am the manager at Double A Feeds, Inc in Bridgeport, Nebraska. In total, I have been selling feed for about 16 years. Today I am heading to Rapid City Stock Show to meet with our feed company. I feel that meetings like these are important. I am keeping up with all the new information about feed.

Animals require proteins and nutrients. Because they are dependent on their caretakers, my job is to inform their caretakers of the available feeds that have proteins and nutrients in them.

Today I would like to talk to you about bovine (Cow). Bovine nutrition is priority number one these days. Cattle need to maintain their body condition score (BCS). The body condition score holds the key to early breed back. It is good to appraise their current condition as well as look ahead to how they will be faring when spring arrives. We need to evaluate our cow herd feeding program, keeping in mind the calf that lies with our cows. The cows nutrition right now and forward determines the calf’s health. My concern lies with the calf at this stage of gestation and the cow’s nutrition will influence calf health and vitality, from birth to feedlot, and ultimately the quality of beef she produces.

Circle L’s Cow #44 getting her share of protein,vitamins and minerals from a Crystalyx Tub.

In the winter months feeding means more than just maintaining our cows BCS, we also want to consider her postpartum condition and future breeding health. Our mama cows need protein. They need protein to help support digestion in their rumen, but also to develop calf muscle and internal organs. Cows and heifers that have a protein deficiency have weak calves at birth. Macro-minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium are pulled from the cow to grow the bone structure of the calf as well as support the demands of lactation. Research supports the importance of trace minerals such as copper, selenium, and iodine in calves for deposition and utilization of brown adipose tissue and thermogenesis. Brown fat serves as an internal source of warmth and feeds their metabolism in the hours and days following birth. Colostrum quality is also influenced by cow nutrition and is extremely important to calf health. The proper nutrition that we provide our cows today will set the stage for what is to come. It may be all about BCS for cows, but for calves it’s more like making a down payment on a healthy start.

I love my job and I love that I am responsible for making our customer herds better.

You see I may be a rancher’s wife and a ranch kids mom but I also know quite a bit about feeding cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, dogs and cats.